Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow review 2024

The Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow is more than your average pillow. Not only does it come with three layers, a removable cover and cooling technology, but one of those layers just so happens to be springs. In short, if you’re looking for a firmer feel and some impressive cooling powers, this could well be the best pillow for you. But, all these impressive features come at a price, and the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow, like its Hybrid Duvet that tops our best duvet ranking, is expensive. We test it out to discover if it’s worth the money, looking at comfort, design and suitability for your sleep style. Read on for our full Simba Hybrid Firm pillow review.

If you're looking for ways to boost your sleep comfort further, take a look at our guide to this year’s best mattress for all budgets.

Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow review in brief

The Simba Hybrid Firm pillow offers different levels of firmness so you can tailor your own support and comfort, especially if you sleep on your side or back. This versatility comes in the form of three removable layers – two softer Simba Renew layers and one firm Aerocoil layer, which contains springs encased in foam.

The nearer the Aerocoil layer is to the top, the firmer the feel of the pillow. Place the layer between the Renew layers or on either side of them for a medium, medium-firm or firm feel for side sleepers. You can also pair the Aerocoil layer with a single Renew layer for a medium or firm pillow for back sleeping.

All this innovation, plus high-quality materials ("Better Cotton", GRS-certified polyester and patented titanium Aerocoil), means the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow is on the pricier side for a pillow, with an RRP of £159 for one.

However, there are plenty of perks for a long-lasting product. The cover and Renew layers are machine-washable at 40°C, and can be tumble dried too. It is also a well-made item, with tight stitching and secure fastenings that are robust and unfiddly.

We tested the pillow for four weeks across warmer weather and colder nights, with testers that included a combination sleeper, petite sleeper and hot sleeper. The pillow delivered well for all, with superb levels of comfort, cosiness and most importantly spine alignment, especially for side-sleepers.

While front sleepers might struggle – this pillow will be far too lofty if you sleep on your front – the majority of sleepers will benefit from the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow once they have found a combination of layers that works for them.

Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow review: Price and deals

• Simba's most expensive pillow
• Plenty of tech and innovation for the price
• Find offers and discounts on the Simba website

With an RRP of £159, the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow is not cheap. It the pricier of Simba's two pillow options – the other being the original Hybrid pillow, which has a different design and tech (notably, no springs), and has an RRP of £109.

While it's certainly in the high-end, luxury camp, it's not an extortionate price to pay for a great pillow – and especially when you consider this one is a level up in terms of construction and materials. The good news is that there are regular Simba sales and deals that mean you might not have to pay full price. These tend to focus more on the mattresses, but sleep accessory deals aren't uncommon. For instance, at time of writing, there's 35% off when you buy a Simba mattress, taking the price of the pillow to just under £104.

View the Hybrid Firm Pillow from £159 at Simba
Simba’s innovative pillow is ideal for side-sleepers and back sleepers. Adjust the layers – including Aerocoil spring layer – to find your perfect firmness levels from medium to firm. With two softer layers also included, Simba’s pillow also provides exceptional levels of comfort and posture support.

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Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow review: Materials

• Titanium Aerocoil spring layer is encased in Simba Pure foam
• Two Renew layers filled with super-soft fibres
• Cotton cover is crisp, cooling and machine-washable

The three layers of the pillow comprise two layers of polyester stuffing encased in cotton, and one of Aerocoil springs encased in Pure foam. These two parented materials can also be found in Simba's mattresses (find out how they perform there in our Simba Hybrid Pro review or Simba Hybrid Original review).

When combined, these layers provide a perfect firm, medium-firm or medium feel for sleepers. The layers are easy to remove and everything apart from the foam-and-springs layer is machine washable at 40°C (here's how to wash a pillow if you're looking for guidance), and can also be tumble dried.

Individually, the Simba Renew layers are incredibly soft, while the Aerocoil layer is much firmer, but with the airy coils and cotton covers, the pillow is breathable and doesn’t stifle – ideal if you sleep hot.

All of Simba’s cotton is sourced via the Better Cotton initiative to help reduce the environmental impact of cotton production. The cover features Stratos technology on one side (indicated by blue piping), which responds to your body temperature, and draws heat away from the body to help you keep your cool. If you need extra cooling, make sure you have the Stratos side up when placing your layers.

Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow review: design and features

• Three removable layers for tailored firmness levels
• Washable cotton cover and Renew layers
• Excellent build quality and materials

The Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow has plenty of options for side and back sleepers of all heights and weights. Whether you need a medium, medium-firm or firm feel, you can adjust the layers of the pillow to what suits you best.

For side sleepers, using all three layers is recommended to give your head and neck the support it needs for spinal alignment. Sandwich the firm Aerocoil layer in the middle of the two softer Renew layers for a medium-firm feel, place it at the top for a firm feel, or place it at the bottom for a medium feel.

If you sleep on your back, a shallower pillow will be more supportive for spine alignment, so you can remove one of the Renew layers. Place the Aerocoil layer at the top for a firm feel or beneath the Renew layer for a medium feel.

The layers are neatly encased in a cotton cover with zip fastening and breathable mesh panel. Other design features include blue piping on one side only – this side features Simba’s cooling Stratos Technology that helps regulate your temperature as you sleep.

The versatility of this pillow will be very appealing to many, especially as there is no need to add or remove fill as with Simba’s original Hybrid pillow – something that many sleepers find fiddly.

Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow: Performance

• Good to go straight out of the box
• Different firmnesses and heights on offer
• Excellent balance of comfort, support and cooling

Setup

4.5 of 5 stars

The pillow arrived in a neat and sturdy cardboard box with carry handles and minimal plastic packaging. The pillow is good to sleep on straight out of the box, although you might want to switch around the layers to suit the level of support you need.

There was no off-gassing or other unpleasant smell, although we still unzipped the cover and removed the layers to air them for a few hours before using the pillow. The pillow was perfectly in shape the minute we removed it from the box and didn’t need any time to fill out. It comes with a simple leaflet that explains how to combine the layers for your sleep style and preferred firmness.

Temperature regulation

4 of 5 stars

We used the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow during warmer weather as well as cooler nights and found that it performed well during both. We first tested the pillow without a case and it was cosy yet breathable, without being too stifling. We then squeezed the pillow into a standard cotton pillowcase, this was a bit of an effort – this pillow does need a larger pillowcase for a comfortable fit.

With the cotton pillowcase (finally) on, the surface was instantly cool to the touch. We never once felt stifled or overheated and it felt completely breathable even when we placed the two softer layers together near our head.

We also tried the pillow with a silk pillowcase and a flannel pillowcase. The silk pillowcase felt cool and breathable, while, as expected, the flannel pillowcase offered a little more cosiness for the cooler nights.

The Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow is an excellent option for hot sleepers who need support, but still want a little cosiness from their pillow. The cover’s breathable mesh border and Stratos Technology temperature regulating design all help to keep hot sleepers comfortable.

Firmness and support

5 out of 5 stars

The support on offer with the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow is obvious from the minute you lay your head down. When all three layers are in place, the depth never feels ‘too much’ and the pillow offers a surprising amount of comfort alongside the firmness. At 5’2”, even our petite sleeper was comfortable, especially when sleeping on their side.

We also used the pillow to lean against when sitting up to read in bed. Here the comfort and support was particularly apparent and we instantly felt supported.

When lying down, the spine felt noticeably aligned, and even our combination sleeper – who typically flips position from side to back several times a night – said they stayed sleeping on their side for most of the night.

We tested the pillow with a combination of two and three layers, but the medium-firm option with the Aerocoil layer sandwiched between the two Simba Renew Fibre layers hit the sweet spot for our testers. The firm option with the Aerocoil layer at the top is suitable for heavier frames who sleep on their side, while back sleepers would benefit from two layers with the Aerocoil on top if they want a firmer feel. The flexibility on offer for back and side sleepers of any heights or weight is superb.

Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow review: customer reviews

The Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow is a relatively recent addition to the brand’s line-up, as such there are not many reviews yet – fewer than 30 at time of writing, in fact. However, the comments and ratings that exist are nearly all positive, with an overall score of 4.7 out of 5 and a focus on the impressive design, comfort, versatility and support.

There is not much in the way of negative feedback, but some customers mention they were originally apprehensive about spending so much money on a pillow (but then changed their minds once they had used it). Meanwhile, other customers commented on the size of the pillow making it difficult to squeeze into a standard-size pillow case, especially when all three layers were in place.

Should you buy the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow?

If you need a reliable and adjustable pillow for side-sleeping or back-sleeping then the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow is a great choice. The versatility makes it ideal for all heights and body weights, while the breathable materials, including cover with temperature-regulating Stratos technology, is comfortable for anyone who sleeps hot.

While the price of this luxury pillow is on the expensive side, there is plenty of quality on offer with a robust well-designed build, plus top materials that offer pure comfort and support to keep you sleeping well.

Because of its height and firmness, the Simba Hybrid Firm Pillow is better suited to back and side sleepers. If you are after something softer or flatter, then Simba’s original Hybrid Pillow might be a more suitable choice for you. At £109, not only is the original Hybrid pillow less expensive, but it also comes with adjustability in the form of removable ‘nanocube’ filling to help you get the perfect pillow for you. For more options, check out our guide to the best pillows for sleeping.